Abstract
The effects of hydrocooling time on maintaining the quality and increasing postharvest storage life of rockmelon fruit has not been studied. Thus, we investigated hydrocooling at ½ and ¾ cooling time (CT) compared with no hydrocooling on the physico-chemical and microstructural properties of the fruit during storage at 13 °C and 85% relative humidity (RH). Hydrocooling with ½ CT slowed weight loss and increases in soluble solids concentration during storage, maintained higher chroma intensity of pulp colour and turgor pressure of rind and pulp firmness, and the citric acid content compared with the other treatments. Light microscopy images and scanning electron micrographs confirmed that weight loss in non-hydrocooled and ¾ CT hydrocooled fruit was associated with loss of cell turgor, thereby influencing cell wall rigidity in the pericarp tissue of fruit. The results suggest that hydrocooling at ½ CT can preserve cell wall structure of rockmelon fruit and maintain its quality during cold storage.
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